This Strange Turn of Events
by SimaRhi
Summary: One year after the destruction of Konoha, Akatsuki has been defeated and Uchiha Sasuke wants to return to his home, but Tsunade doesn't trust his intentions. She decides he will live with Hyuuga Neji who'll keep an eye on him. NejiSasu/SasuNeji AI/YAOI
1. Babysitting

_Around one year after the destruction of Konoha and defeat of criminal organisation Akatsuki, Uchiha Sasuke suddenly wishes to return to his former home. The village leaders have their suspicions however, so precautions must be taken for the safety of Konoha._

Chapter 1- Babysitting

"So..." said Tsunade, agitated, "the boy will stay with you and it will be your responsibility to keep him under control should he try to betray us again. As one of our finest jounin you were voted most suitable. This is an S-rank mission!"  
"Yes, hokage-sama"  
The boy of almost 19 rose gracefully and bowed. He beckoned to a boy about a year younger than him with spiked, raven hair and a look in his eyes which betrayed his age. His expression was blank, but the weight of many traumas and losses hung around him almost like a thick fog. Not that the older boy cared, he was too busy cursing his misfortune.  
"She must be joking... A noble family such as mine housing a traitor..." his brow furrowed slightly, but he quickly regained his previously calm demeanour and turned to the younger boy. He put a reluctant hand on his shoulder to lead him from the hokage's office and down into the main village. As they emerged the jounin removed his hand from the stiff yet slightly trembling shoulder. He paused and gazed at the boy for a few moments. He wasn't even sure why, but for a moment he really wished he could figure the Uchiha out. He'd always been like a complicated puzzle. He remained lost in these unusual thoughts until his silver eyes were met by their polar opposite.  
The charcoal eyes narrowed and he spoke for the first time.  
"Aren't you supposed to be babysitting me?" He let out a hiss which could barely be likened to a laugh. "I could've been away, slaughtering villagers, and you'd just be staring like an idiot."  
At this comment a frown appeared across the jounin's usually blank face and he roughly grabbed the other boy's arm and began dragging him towards his – soon to be their- home.

A gate slammed heavily.  
"This, Hiashi-sama," the older boy growled, pushing the Uchiha forward, "is what hokage-sama called me up for. For me to keep an eye on this- this _traitor_ under our roof!"  
The older Hyuuga raised an eyebrow at the unexpected visitor.  
"I don't see why you're getting so upset, Neji-kun. It's an honour after all to be entrusted with a mission of this calibre. The hokage clearly holds you in high regard."  
The younger Hyuuga let out a breath of air and regained his composure.  
"Anyway Neji, you don't know Sasuke-kun at all. So please try to be civil! He will be living with us after all"  
"Yes, Hiashi-sama" Neji threw out a stiff hand towards the Uchiha. "I'm sorry for losing my temper earlier, Sasuke-san." He forced his most polite smile as Sasuke stared at the bandaged hand for a few moments then firmly grasped it and squeezed slightly, inwardly chuckling when he noticed the Hyuuga prodigy's eye twitch.  
"It's my pleasure" Sasuke smiled. Hiashi, sensing –or perhaps wishing to sense- a peaceful atmosphere, smiled warmly and entered the main house.  
"Now, Hyuuga Neji," Sasuke smirked while assuming a battle stance, "about that fight we were gonna have when we were kids" He stretched out a hand in Neji's direction and beckoned lazily.  
Neji stared at the younger boy, puzzled. Since his betrayal of the village Neji could never see Sasuke as that cocky, competitive kid he used to be, but a light now shone in his dull, onyx eyes that reminded him of the old Sasuke- the Sasuke he remembered from some 5 years ago.  
Without replying Neji activated his Byakugan and assumed his own fighting stance, waiting for Sasuke to make the first move. Sasuke charged towards his opponent in order to use his taijutsu, but as always Neji predicted every move and dodged accordingly.  
"He's fast, but he won't see this coming" Sasuke thought to himself, trying not to look at the clone of himself behind Neji with his chidori activated. "I've got him now!" he thought triumphantly. The other Sasuke was about to deal a painful blow to the Hyuuga's shoulder when-  
"chi-chi-chi...chi......chi" Sasuke's chidori rapidly faded as Neji ducked, grabbed the attacking arm from behind and yanked it in front of him, directing his index and middle fingers at his pressure points.  
"Damn! I forgot that Byakugan!" The real Sasuke thought "H-how did you know the first one wasn't real?!" He spat, angry that his chakra flow was now messed up. The Sasuke who battled initially disappeared with a poof, and the real one still had his arm grasped firmly so his face was near Neji's.  
"I guess I just decided that a clone wouldn't be able to produce the chidori effectively while the real you tried to maintain equal chakra levels in both bodies" Neji said in a bored tone. "You seem to forget I can not only see all around me, I can also see the level of chakra in each body, so for me distinguishing a real body from a copy is a simple task. Not a good way to try and fool me, Sasuke-_chan_" He smiled a fake sweet smile and Sasuke scowled.  
"What a pity," Sasuke sighed sarcastically, his breath tickling Neji's neck, "Most of my other jutsu would kill you instantly. Can't be having that now, can we?"  
A slight shiver ran down his spine at Sasuke's sinister tone and he quickly dropped his arm, which already had several purplish bruises forming on the pale skin. It was only then that Sasuke realised how fast he must have moved for him not to even notice he had hit him more than once. He was impressed but of course he didn't show it.  
"I think we'd better get some ointment for that" Neji said quietly.  
"Come on," Sasuke scoffed "I've had worse."  
"Still..." he replied, smirking slightly "I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble. Don't want my uncle or the hokage knowing I had to put you in your place already."  
Sasuke glared at Neji, but then snorted in slight amusement as he followed the taller boy into the main house.

In the bathroom, as Neji treated the bruises with a cooling ointment, Sasuke tried his best not to wince at the sting.  
"You know, you are allowed to show pain. Even if it's something small" Neji said as he began to neatly wrap a bandage around the bruised arm.  
"Hn" Sasuke merely closed his eyes.  
"Why did you leave, Sasuke?"  
One dark row of eyelashes fluttered as he opened one eye and looked at the Hyuuga, as if daring him to leave the question in the open. He sighed at the unwavering glare he had been returned.  
"I could be of no use to Konoha while I was so blinded by malice and my lust for revenge" he stated blankly, and closed his eye again as a hint that he would say no more.  
Neji merely nodded at this, and failed to realise that as he folded the loose ends of the bandage underneath the strips around Sasuke's palm, his own hand lay atop the newly bandaged one for several short but significant moments. Neji suddenly realised this and snatched his hands away, brushing himself off as he stood up hastily.  
"Supper should be prepared by now" he said quietly and started towards the door. Sasuke raised a dark eyebrow at his strange host and followed.

Hyuuga Hiashi didn't look the type to be passionate about cooking, but Sasuke was surprised as he entered the kitchen to see the great and noble head of the Hyuuga bustling around the stove and happily chopping up ingredients.  
"I hope you like miso ramen!" He said in almost a sing-song voice as they entered. Neji cringed and rolled his eyes.  
"This is the _real _Hiashi-sama," He said almost regretfully.  
"What are you standing around for my precious nephew! Bring Sasuke-kun and sit!" He gestured at the direction of a nicely set table. They did as commanded and Sasuke gave Neji a highly puzzled look. He chuckled in return at the sight of Uchiha Sasuke looking truly befuddled.  
"He always gets like this when he cooks," Neji explained, "It makes me glad I found out the truth about how my father died of his own choice, otherwise I may have hated him all my life without knowing anything about his true self"  
A small smile played across Sasuke's lips.  
As supper was served only the three of them were sat around the table. Hiashi merrily told how his daughter Hinata was currently on an A-rank mission, and how he was pleased with her progress and spirit, etcetera. The two teens stayed quiet until Neji's uncle stopped the small talk that he knew was reserved for the rare awkward social situation, then something became apparent to Neji.  
"Uncle? Where will Sasuke sleep?"  
"Hmm?" he replied, looking up to meet two piercing pairs of eyes. "Well, due to the nature of your mission I'd assume that Sasuke-kun will have to sleep in your room, foolish nephew!"  
If Neji and Sasuke weren't both adept at keeping their composure their jaws probably would have hit the table. The most Neji did, however, was freeze as his chopsticks were halfway to his mouth and shoot daggers at his uncle.  
"In _my_ room?"  
"Well of course! Although you two seem to have gotten friendly, you must remember that he doesn't yet have the trust of the higher-ups, so we have to keep a very close eye on him, even if that means you boys sleeping in the same bed!"  
Faint tinges of pink briefly graced both their pale faces at the prospect, leaving the head of Hyuuga puzzled as to what he said wrong. They quietly finished the remains of their meal and sat quietly for a while. Sasuke, surprisingly, was the first to make a comment.  
"It's pretty late! I suppose you better show me to my- _our _room"  
"Hn" was Neji's reply as he gracefully rose from the table and gestured towards the door. They exchanged their goodnights to Hiashi and started down a long hallway.  
The moonlight hit the decorative window-panes and played strange patterns on the floor and walls. As Sasuke followed quietly behind his new room-mate he found himself marvelling at his long, dark, silken hair which shimmered ever so slightly in the dim light. He shook his head rather vigorously trying to rid himself of this strange observation and nearly bumped into the taller boy as he stopped and gestured at a door which he entered first.  
Neji's room was very plain, rather like Neji's own appearance, though Sasuke decided to keep this to himself. It was all coffee and cream colours, and on the other side of the room he could see a door which was slightly ajar leading to his personal bathroom. Without word Neji went to his closet and pulled out a spare folding mattress and sheets, quilts and pillows. He very quickly set up the bed while Sasuke gazed around the room, noting the distinct orderliness of the room.  
"Now I get why he was getting so uptight about having a stranger in his room," he thought, smiling slightly. "Afraid I'd mess it up, hah!"  
He turned back to realise Neji was now missing, but the bathroom door was closed and he could hear the splashing of the shower. He sat on the edge of his strangely immaculate makeshift bed until the older boy emerged, combing through his wet hair and wearing only off-white shorts. Sasuke looked him up and down slightly then snapped out of it as a toothbrush came hurtling towards him and hit him in the middle of the forehead.  
"Go have a shower, you seem tense. That toothbrush is yours, by the way."  
Sasuke obeyed without saying anything and felt his shoulders ease up considerably as the hot water drenched him and he contemplated this strange turn of events. He never thought he'd end up being watched over- no- _babysat _by the Hyuuga boy. How embarrassing. He decided that the guy seemed pretty friendly despite how uptight he seemed to get for no apparent reason, and that his host could have been much worse. He shuddered at the thought of that pink-haired one that would probably molest him while he slept, or the seriously weird one with the John Lennon glasses and all those bugs. Yup, things would probably be fine and back to normal soon. He wrapped a soft white towel around his waist as he stepped out of the shower, then realised his clothes were pretty filthy.  
"How humiliating," he cringed, "now I'm gonna have to borrow some of his clothes too."  
He opened the door a crack then cleared his throat to get Neji's attention. As if he'd known the exact problem he threw a pair of long white shorts and a long sleeved black shirt over to the surprised raven, who looked at him thankfully, then quickly snapped the door shut.  
Neji turned the light off and got into his own bed, hoping that it would be enough of a hint so Sasuke wouldn't try and speak to him at all. He couldn't possibly describe why, but he'd been feeling very uptight at the thought of the Uchiha boy sleeping in his own room. It wasn't fear, distrust or his slight OCD; it was a strange feeling that ebbed at the back of his mind, and he wasn't sure if he'd end up sleeping at all.

* * *

_I've decided to start another fanfic! And I must say, I'm already feeling more hopeful about this one than Nightfall. There really isn't enough SasuNeji/NejiSasu! I'll still continue Nightfall if I get decent ideas, but I think this one will be easier for me. R&R but most of all enjoy!  
OH and I think I need a better name for this but I'm not sure! If anyone has any ideas just give me a shout._


	2. Nightmares

_It was a strange feeling that ebbed at the back of his mind, and he wasn't sure if he'd end up sleeping at all._

Chapter 2- Nightmares

I woke up all too suddenly for my liking. I could tell it was still late as the full moon could be seen quite clearly through my thin curtains. I grumbled at the somewhat overbearing light and turned over to face the darkness which was much kinder to my tired eyes. I sighed sleepily then realised what really must have woke me up.  
There were some low murmurings from below me and I shuddered. What was it? I peered over the bed then exhaled in relief. I'd totally forgotten that the Uchiha boy was here. Understandable I suppose, it was quite a big change I'd have to adjust to, having pretty much a stranger sleeping right beside me. I found myself staring down at him a while; he looked so peaceful. I kept gazing at him dreamily until suddenly the boy's face twisted fearfully and his breathing got much heavier. My eyes narrowed slightly. I wasn't sure if I should've woke him up there and then, so I stayed very still and waited to see if it would pass naturally.  
"Nggh... No, it can't be..." the raven-haired boy said in a slurred fashion. He began covering up his face with his arms and what sounded like a muffled sob could be heard.  
I slid out of bed and crouched by him, gently yet firmly grasping his shoulder and shaking it slightly.  
"Wake up, Uchiha"  
"No... You're lying! _Don't touch me!_" He bolted upright so as not to face me while nudging my hand away roughly, causing me to frown.  
"Uchiha!" I said louder and more firmly this time, grabbing both of his trembling shoulders from behind this time, shaking him harder.  
"You're lying..." he said in an almost robotic tone. "He was evil... It couldn't have been..."  
"Wha-  
I was suddenly silenced and frozen as the boy very slowly turned his spiky head in an owl-like fashion, his ghostly pale eyelids shut, until he was almost facing me. I started to scream as he opened one strangely patterned eye and I became enveloped in dark flames, eyes wide and horrified as I saw tears dashed with crimson oozing from his own...

* * *

"Hyuuga... Hyuuga!"  
I slapped his pale face firmly. When he first started moaning in his sleep I'd woken up confused and disorientated until I saw the pale hand hanging down the side of the bed next to me. I stood up slowly, leaning over him and shaking him slightly, to which his breathing became hoarse and heavy. Shortly after that he started wriggling and whimpering as if in pain. It was at this point that I had no choice but to sit on top of him and pin his arms by his side with my knees. He struggled, then did something that made my eyes widen.  
"No Sasuke.... Please!" He cried out loud and very clear considering his semi-conscious state. This was when I started slapping his delicate cheek, ignoring the rush of blood I felt heading straight for my cheeks at the sound and content of his cry.  
When this failed to awaken him, I grabbed a clump of his dark, luxurious hair and regretfully, yet roughly pulled.  
The older boy's face screwed up slightly in discomfort, but I was relieved that his lithe body beneath me had stopped trembling and his pulse was steadying. His eyelashes fluttered open warily, revealing eyes which shone with a mixture of fear and relief as they bore into my own. Only then did I realise that my hand was still entangled in the Hyuuga boy's silken locks and hastily let go. His eyes remained piercing into my own, his brow furrowed slightly. I started to feel uneasy.  
"Sorry about that Neji," my eyes gestured toward the hair splayed out beside him. "You were having a nightmare... I think."  
Neji said nothing and his gaze remained unbroken.  
"Sasuke..." he whispered gently, raising his still trembling hands and touching my face gingerly as if I could've vanished at that exact moment. "You're you again..." his arms flopped back down onto my lap as his brilliant white eyes slowly closed. His chest rose slowly beneath me and I was thoroughly confused. I'm me again? What did that mean?  
"I suppose that means his dream wasn't perverted then..." I thought to myself, not sure whether or not this was a good thing. I chuckled almost silently but Neji still fidgeted as I did so. Not wanting him to have to wake up again, I silently raised myself off of his bed and back onto my own makeshift one, head resting on the pillow. My mind however, was restless.

* * *

I felt a strange sense of déjà vu as I woke up to the piercing light of the morning sun. I grumbled and hid beneath my blanket for a few moments to give myself a chance to open my eyes properly and coax myself out of my half-asleep state. When I finally emerged I looked around my room and noticed the fully made bed I'd rustled up for my "guest" the night before. It took several moments of staring for me to remember that it was my mission to keep an eye on the Uchiha due to his past treachery, not just have him over for a friendly catch-up and sleepover. I tumbled out of bed with a sever lack of grace as I'd somehow gotten myself tangled up in my sheets overnight and was actually thankful that the Uchiha hadn't been there to mock my act of inelegance. I scrambled out of my linen shackles, hurriedly pulled some trousers and shoes on and dashed out of my room, cursing the bad start the day had already assumed.  
I scouted around the house for a while, chastising myself for not upholding my duty, but only came across Hiashi-sama whistling merrily while preparing breakfast and Hinata and Hinabi-sama training. I jogged outside toward the main garden and scanned the area for any sign of the raven-haired boy while squinting under the harsh, crisp light of the sun. I sighed in relief as I vaguely saw the pointed shape of the Uchiha's hair about a hundred metres ahead, right towards the back of the garden. As I walked closer he didn't move once from his relaxed position leaning against the cherry blossom tree by the pond. He had a stern, brooding look on his face as he gazed at his own reflection in the pond. Slightly disgruntled that he never so much as looked my way, let alone gave explanation for his disappearance, I slumped against the same tree and slid into a sitting position adjacent to him.  
"You shouldn't just leave," I said plainly. "I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on you at all times."  
A moments silence.  
"Sorry" Sasuke eventually said quietly, "had something on my mind, I needed some air."  
I raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Not even a hint of sarcasm in that apology. I sighed.  
"What's the matter?" I asked, trying to sound concerned. I would have to spend an unknown amount of time with him after all; I may as well try to act friendly. He started to move for the first time since I arrived. I glanced towards him as he turned his head to look at me. I returned his gaze and couldn't put my finger on what it was about him that made me feel even more uneasy than last night.  
"It's nothing you should worry about." He said calmly, but as my narrowed eyes bore into his I could tell that his statement was very far from the truth. Even for me the tension in the air was now too heavy. I sighed yet again.  
"You left your bed immaculate today, you must have taken note of my slight OCD" I smiled slightly as the torment in his eyes started to fade and he returned my small smile with one of his own.  
"Yeah, figured I should probably make an effort to get along with you. Must be a pain to have me in your room if all I do is give you nightmares-  
"What are you talking about?" I raised an eyebrow sceptically.  
"Last night, you had a nightmare. I had to get up pin you down you were wriggling so much"  
I felt a slight rush of blood to my cheeks as I vaguely remembered waking up to see the Uchiha above me. I shook my head and my brow furrowed slightly.  
"And what makes you think this nightmare was about you?" I asked, expecting him to have been jesting.  
"Seriously?" he raised a cunning eyebrow at me. "How could I _not _think that when you were moaning" -he put on a strangely feminine voice- "Ohhh no Sasuke, please..." He chuckled lightly, but I could feel that previous flush abandon me as images of the black flames engulfing my body and Sasuke's crimson tears flashed before me rapidly.  
"What's up with you?" he asked, obviously noticing my discomfort.  
"Let's just say" I started, swallowing thickly, "I now know what you meant yesterday when you said your other jutsu could kill me instantly."  
The Uchiha's eyes widened and his lips parted slightly as if he was about to say something when-  
"Boys!" A happy Hiashi sung from the direction of the house. "Breakfaaast!"  
I hastily stood up and offered a hand to Sasuke, but for a small yet significant moment he just glared in the direction of the house, a look of hatred consuming his usually calm demeanour. He then roughly grabbed my hand and as I pulled him up he lost his balance and our chests ended up pressing together slightly. Our eyes met and I could feel one of my eyebrows rising awkwardly as I realised our hands were still clasped together. I dropped his bandaged hand as if it was red-hot, inwardly cringing as I remembered a similar situation the day before as I'd treated his wounds. I swiftly turned and proceeded to pace toward the main house, desperate to keep my distance from Sasuke so he wouldn't see just how much I'd lost my cool right then.

Hiashi-sama was happy. Apparently he had achieved the perfect texture in his sticky rice that morning, but to be truthful, rice was just rice to me. Sasuke seemed to be displeased once again. He'd always been the brooding type, and he'd always do it alone. I knew this, yet for some strange reason it still bothered me to know that he didn't want to tell me what was wrong with him. It was ridiculous really. Why would he want to confide in me? This was a mission anyway, not time to _bond _with the boy. He could be coming up with some sort of elaborate plan to destroy the village _right now.  
_"Yeah, I shouldn't let myself get too close to him. It's probably what he wants, to lure me into a false sense of security so I'll let my guard down." I thought, chewing thoughtfully, ignoring my uncle's gibbering about how perfect his breakfast was. Although I discussed all these things with myself, I still had a niggling feeling that even if Sasuke _was _plotting against us, it wouldn't just be on a whim. There was more to him than that. Even I could tell, and I didn't _really_ know him.  
"So what are you brooding over?" the Uchiha boy's drawling voice interrupted my thoughts.  
"It's nothing for you to worry about." I said in reply, and it was only when he smirked that I realised how much I must have sounded the way he did earlier.  
"Ah!" my uncle suddenly cut in, "I forgot! Hokage-sama has an important mission lined up for you."  
"But don't I already have to look after this guy?" I pointed at a scowling Sasuke.  
"Yes, well..." he shot a piercing glance toward our "guest". "He will obviously have to join you. He has the skill after all and it should also test his loyalty."  
Sasuke narrowed his charcoal eyes. There was an uncomfortable silence.  
"Well!" I said in mock-enthusiasm. "We better get going to Hokage-sama's office. Thanks for the wonderful breakfast, uncle."  
I left the table and started towards my room in order to make myself look presentable, Sasuke mirroring me and silently following like a spectre.

* * *

I followed the older boy into his room. I sat on his bed as he started brushing his dishevelled hair. I had secretly laughed to myself at his sloppy appearance as he rushed into the garden looking somewhat flustered. It was probably a priceless image that nobody else would have seen or even associated with the perfect, sparkling prodigy Hyuuga Neji, but I was too preoccupied with thoughts on what I had experienced the night before. It was unsettling, especially now that I was being sent on a mission for the first time as one of their so-called Leaf ninja, but it had reinforced my decision. I was unsure at first, but now I knew that there was no reason for me to change my mind about this place. Not even over my slight friendly feelings for Mr. Pretty-Babysitter there (he isn't as much of a bore as he looks, you know...), who I severely doubted was anything but oblivious to the real nature of what he was doing by carrying out his "mission".  
He had just emerged from the bathroom, dabbing his face with a soft looking towel, when he stopped and looked at me with slightly narrowed eyes.  
"Don't you have anything better to do than watch me?" he asked and I noticed the _tiniest _hint of colour forming on his cheeks.  
"Well _I_ was ready hours before you even woke up" I shrugged.  
"Well I need to get dressed now" he replied, rolling his eyes "so get out."  
"Come on, we're both guys right?" I smirked, "Although it's not _that _hard to picture you having female parts under these" I leaned towards him and tugged slightly at the leg of his trousers.  
"Fine." He snapped "just stop staring!"  
I laughed inwardly at how easy he was despite his nonchalant exterior, although he probably thought the same when I scowled at him for saying he had to "look after" me. He turned so his back was facing me and took off his shirt, revealing his smooth, pale and slender back. I found myself involuntarily examining the subtle curve of his lower back and his muscular yet slender and well-toned arms and shoulders. He turned back to face me as he started to wrap his off-white robe around himself, fastening it slightly to the right of his chest then smoothing it out so he looked pristine as usual. I noticed that he already had his usual trousers on and almost felt let down at that realisation.  
"You know..." his low voice interrupted my thoughts "I may look feminine, but with your mouth hanging open at me like that, you look _gay_."  
Caught off guard, all I could think to do was let out an insolent "Pfft."  
"Well, I suppose we better go then." He said with a subtle hint of triumph as he tied his hair in a loose ponytail and made towards the door.

I couldn't help feeling increasingly wary as we approached the hokage's office. What kind of mission would this be? And why would they need to send Neji of all people to carry it out? There were plenty other talented shinobi I remembered from the days when I was in team 7, which made me think... Where was Naruto? I'd expected that dobe to come prancing towards me from the moment I'd stepped in the village, as if some sort of Sasuke-detection device was implanted in his silly blonde head.  
Neji knocked before entering Tsunade's office, giving her a slight bow in greeting. I mirrored, as much as it pained me to do so.  
"Hokage-sama," said Neji in his best respectable jounin voice, "we're here about the mission you've entrusted to us."  
"Yes, both of you, sit down." She gestured toward two seats and we obeyed. "Naruto left on a mission, say, a fortnight ago. It was an S-rank mission and he ran into a spot of trouble." She cleared her throat. "He's been hospitalised. It will take him around a month to recover, and we've decided to send you and Sasuke. Who better to send than our most able jounin and Naruto's- _ahem_- best friend?"  
She smiled quite sweetly at us and I inwardly scowled, but tried my best to keep my cool facade going. I was feeling more wary than before now that I knew of the mission at hand. I had wanted to avoid seeing Naruto as much as possible due to our _very _rocky past, and now I'd soon be helping him in his mission just like the _good old days..._  
"Naruto will be expecting you on the outskirts of the Water country in a month, and you will then assist him on his mission in the Hidden Mist village"  
"Way to add insult to injury..." I thought bitterly. "Even more like the good old days..." It seemed like too much of a coincidence and it made me feel uneasy, but I'd just have to go along with it as if everything was normal.  
"Well if that is all, we shall take our leave. Good day, Hokage-sama." Neji bowed and I mimicked in a slightly less elegant fashion, resisting the powerful urge to turn back and slaughter that hellish woman.

* * *

FINALLY chapter 2 is here! Seriously, I don't know how it took so long because I basically have the whole story mapped out in my head, you see. Most of this chapter was caffeine driven madness, so I'm sorry if some things are unclear, which they will be, they shall be explained! Please tell me what you think of the switching PoV's! I found it more interesting to write this way in the midst of my insanity, so I guess it will be different for every chapter! R&R's appreciated, and enjoy!


	3. Foiled

_Neji bowed and I mimicked in a slightly less elegant fashion, resisting the powerful urge to turn back and slaughter that hellish woman._

Chapter 3- Foiled

It was very early in the morning when I woke up from my restless sleep. It must have been around six in the morning and Neji was still sound asleep, looking somewhat tangled up in his sheets. I knew there was zero chance of me getting any more sleep and thoughts of why Neji would be dreaming of me wandered my mind, so I decided I would go out in the garden and get some fresh air. I quickly but quietly made my bed so Neji would only have one thing to freak out over when he woke- and he would freak out when he saw I was gone- then slipped my shoes on. I tip-toed out of his bedroom and carefully slid the door shut. As I reached the end of the corridor my thoughts were cut short by urgent-sounding mumblings through the wall beside me. Curious as I always have been, I stepped ever so quietly nearer to the wall, enough so I could press the side of my face against it and, by straining my ears slightly, make out the words being spoken.

It sounded like some sort of family meeting, and I wondered immediately why they had chosen to hold it so early in the morning and also, why Neji wasn't involved. I was pretty sure he was a pretty important part of the family, and he was an adult now. As I heard the voices start once again I stopped letting my mind wander and got back to my eavesdropping. I could immediately make out Hiashi's voice and strained my ears more.

"I know the boy is a traitor, but after he let slip Konoha's little secret, I'm not surprised by how he reacted. After all, he never really caused direct harm to Konoha, and now he has returned despite the risk of being jailed and probably executed."

Hiashi sounded unconvinced by his own words, and I frowned, curious as to what point the family would arrive to. A woman's voice returned me back to the conversation.

"Really dear, don't you think it's a little convenient that he just shows up acting all remorseful right after he vanished mysteriously?"

"I know darling... I'm baffled by it too..."

A harsh voice entered the conversation next. It sounded like the voice of an old man.

"Well there's no point in beating about the bush, son. It's the Hokage's orders to get this boy trusting us again. This family cannot face the shame that would come with betrayal."

"I know, father... But sending the boy to his death is something I'm finding hard to come to terms with."

I had heard more than enough. It took a great deal of self-control not to smash through the wall and unleash my amaterasu on they and whoever else were taking part in that little 'chat', but somehow I managed to sneak very quietly out of the household and towards the tree overlooking the pond. I struck the tree heavily with my elbow then buried my face in my hands. The strange disappearance of that person wasn't really behind my coming back at all. I had been on the run from him for a while before I returned. Of course, a second betrayal of Konoha had been a possibility, but I had been willing to test the water, perhaps try to fit in with regular society once more. I thought that perhaps under a new hokage the village would be different, less treacherous. Hearing that conversation however, had uprooted all of my black thoughts from the previously ignored pit in my mind. Rage burned in my chest and I found it increasingly difficult to keep my eyes under control. I breathed deeply and thought for what seemed like the millionth time of my sweet big brother and what he had sacrificed for this godforsaken place. I had so desperately wanted to see things his way and try to maintain peace, but now I was left with no choice. I had to act, but I couldn't be hasty. I raised my head and let the crisp morning breeze soothe the heated flesh of my cheeks. If I ran away now, I would surely be hunted. The joyful whistling of the birds drove big brother from my mind and I thought of Neji, who was probably still sound asleep, oblivious of the scheme he was involved in. I sat for a long time, staring at the crystal surface of the pond, wondering if I could talk to Neji about this, and what I would even expect from it if I did. I knew he once held a grudge against his family for the death of his father, but from what he'd told me he was beyond that. As I stared I wondered how he could live like normal, knowing that although Hiashi had no say over the matter Konoha could have taken better- and more humane- measures. He was similar to me, yet not at all. But what did I know? I had spoken to him less than five times in my life. Anything could be in that graceful head of his.

The sound of the door crashing open told me a frantic Neji would be approaching soon. I smiled inwardly as I saw his ruffled appearance from the corner of my eye. He seemed angry but he kept his cool, as usual. I decided that I couldn't tell him about this now, if ever, and made light conversation about his nightmare instead. I was thoroughly shocked when he said he now knew how easily i could kill, and I would've pressed him on it if the cowardly Hiashi hadn't interrupted, merrily calling us inside for breakfast as if he wasn't part of a treacherous plot to cleanse Konoha of me once and for all.

Neji looked as if he was deep in thought as Hiashi prattled on about the breakfast which wasn't that good, and which I carefully sniffed for traces of poison while the other two were in their own worlds. The brooding Neji was as closed-off about his thoughts as I was my own, but I could tell there was some sort of mild turbulence going on behind those glazed eyes.

When Hiashi suddenly 'remembered' we were being sent off on a mission together and had to report to the Hokage, I knew this must be how I was supposed to be polished off, like a piece of dirt from a deceivingly clean mirror. I was almost overcome with nerves.

"They must be pretty confident to do this straight away," I thought, chewing my lip as I followed the young Hyuuga back to his room. Fortunately, watching Neji awkwardly change calmed me down a bit, and I almost laughed out loud when he said I looked gay. If only he knew.

The nerves returned as we arrived before the hokage, and now I could feel the negative aura about her. I felt myself pale when she said the mission was to go and help Naruto, but fortunately Neji was looking at her. What did this mean? Was Naruto part of this scheme? Surely not. He had begged me on a few occasions to return home, and despite my actions it felt like being stabbed in the heart each time. I really couldn't imagine Naruto betraying me like this, but I had betrayed him, and time can spawn bitterness to such a degree that it's actually frightening. I would have to be prepared to fight, then return to my life of exile should I survive. Neji could cover for me and tell them I'm dead if he was willing. All of these racing thoughts were interrupted when the Hokage said we would have to be there to meet Naruto in a months time. I wasn't sure what would be worse; pretending to belong in a place where people still wanted me dead, or being sent off to face whatever the Hokage, the elders or whoever had in store for me.

* * *

As we walked away from the stern faces of the five Kages and towards home, Sasuke walked silently beside me, looking troubled.

"Is it because you'll have to face Naruto?" I asked carefully.

"Hm?" Sasuke looked at me as if he had no idea what I'd just said, paused for a second, and grunted "Oh. Yeah." then went back to silence.

We continued walking until we were out of the main village and drawing near to the large estate I called home.

"It will be fine, you know. You know what Naruto's like. He never holds grudges."

Sasuke just smiled weakly at me. I had never thought Sasuke would show any sort of real emotion but he looked as if he was worn down by worrisome thoughts.

"You know, we should get away from this boring place for the rest of today. Shall we go walk through the fields?" I said, trying to sound as positive as possible, which turned out impossible due to my naturally bored tone. Sasuke simply nodded and we headed past my estate until we reached fields of well-kept grass with the odd tree here and there, and the edge of the forest visible about a mile ahead. We strolled across the grass, the fragrant breeze was relaxing and my mind felt clear. We reached a small lake when we were around halfway to the forest, which was slighty shadowed by the branches of a large tree. It reminded me of a scaled up version of the pond and tree in the garden at home. We sat by the edge of the lake. After growing bored of staring at the mirror image of myself I took a stick and started to make patterns and ripples in the water which distorted our reflections. Sasuke suddenly laughed quietly and I gave him a puzzled look.

"You're really like a child, aren't you?" he said with a smirk. I gave him my best angry look, but after a few seconds of staring each other down I smiled.

"I get rather fidgety after acting like such a stiff all day in front of others" I looked into his seemingly endless black eyes. "But I decided since we'll be spending alot of time together I'll just have to learn to relax around you."

"Pfft, I wouldn't count on that..." I heard Sasuke mutter very quietly, but I wasn't fooled.

"What does that mean?"

I could tell Sasuke was facing inner turmoil at the fact I'd heard his grumble, then he sighed as if in defeat and fixed me in an intense stare.

"I don't trust this village, Neji"

"Why not?" I returned quickly "they've allowed you to stay here when most others would be executed! And you weren't even charged with a prison sentence."

"Well they would be the ones who'd look bad if they executed the last Uchiha, wouldn't they?" He massaged the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb.

"So you're saying you think there's an underlying scheme going on between the elders and the hokage?"

"I didn't say that's what I think is happening" he said unconvincingly, "I'm just saying that I won't be taken by surprise if that is the case."

I pondered this for a few moments. It was a plausible idea really, since the village leaders were behind the death of my father and had allowed my uncle to take the blame for so many years.

"Well," I said in a voice louder than usual, and the unexpecting Sasuke jumped. "I believe you there, Sasuke. And if it ever looks as if they're going to try and kill you, I'll help you escape. I might even come with you and purge the rotten place of it's corrupt rulers once and for all."

Sasuke's eyes widened and I smiled at him. I couldn't help but think of how adorable he looked, all wide-eyed and surprised. Without realising what I was doing, my mind void of all logical thought, I reached out towards the surprised boy and very gently caressed his cheek. His skin was smooth but icy to the touch. I felt him jump in surprise, which brought me back to reality, and I found myself staring at my outstretched arm and hand as if they weren't my own. Then I cringed back.

"I'm so sorry!"

"You know, you looked so gay doing that" Sasuke smirked, mirroring the words i'd said to him earlier that morning. I felt myself getting slightly flustered.

"Well maybe I am gay then!" I stated triumphantly and folded my arms. It took a few moments to realise what I felt so triumphant about and I paled. "Well no, I'm definitely not! I've just realised I care about you as a friend, that's all."

"Sure you do" Sasuke whispered mockingly, still smirking that same devilish smirk. "Well if you must know," he started leaning towards me and I leaned back in return, my hands supporting my weight as he got closer "I am very much gay." He stuck his tongue out at me and I could feel alot more blood than what was normal rushing to my cheeks. His face was only about an inch from mine and his cool breath made the small hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I had to swallow before I could make my pathetic reply.

"R-really?"

He chuckled and returned to his normal, relaxed sitting position. I stayed frozen in slight shock.

"Yes, really." he said in a more Sasuke-like, serious tone. "You still want to care for me as a 'friend' now? I might get the wrong idea. Especially if you keep stroking me like that." I could tell he was holding back a smirk.

I sat up suddenly and folded my arms, traces of my blush refusing to fade . "Well, I haven't connected with anyone like I have with you in such a short space of time. And I'm not really used to having close friends like that, so I'm so sorry if I gave you the 'wrong idea'" I got up and started walking away.

* * *

It was late afternoon now, and probably almost time for dinner, so we really did need to go. However I knew I had gotten under Neji's skin with that last comment because he was walking away quite briskly with his arms folded. I quickly jumped up and followed him, but he was already quite far ahead due to his power-walking. I hung back for a moment and watched as the gentle breeze ripple through his long locks. His hair-tie had slipped off as he walked so fast, but he didn't appear to care. The long, dark-chocolatey waves shimmered in the cool afternoon sun and I was relieved that I had managed to restrain myself from kissing him before. A shiver ran down my spine as the image of him staring at me so intensely while caressing my skin plagued my thoughts. I had to snap out of it! I really didn't want to creep him out. I jogged after him and tugged on his sleeve.

"Neji, I'm sorry for that comment I made!" He tugged his arm away from me.

"Forget it." he said blankly. We walked the rest of the way in silence.

We returned to the Hyuuga household in silence. We dined in silence. We walked to Neji's room in silence. He changed in front of me without any fuss, and despite mentally chastising myself I couldn't help but stare at his beautifully pale, toned body as he stood facing the opposite wall. We got into our beds after washing up and he faced away from me, in the direction of his window. I just knew I had been too forward about my sexuality there. I could tell he obviously fancied me too, at least a little bit, but I felt like an arsehole for pushing him over it. I reached up and touched his shoulder. I felt him twitch almost unnoticably.

"Sorry Neji, I was a prick" I said hopefully, but with as much remorse as was possible for me.

No reply.

* * *

_Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the really long break I took! I think I'm into the swing again now though! So hopefully I'll manage to actually get this story finished! I have it all planned out, it's just the structure of the whole story I got so stuck over, and I had a massive creative draught over the summer. Anyway hope you enjoy, and I hope it's not too short!_


	4. Secrets

_I reached up and touched his shoulder. I felt him twitch almost unnoticably.  
"Sorry Neji, I was a prick" I said hopefully, but with as much remorse as was possible for me._

_No reply.  
_

Chapter 4- Secrets

I wasn't sure myself why Sasuke's comment yesterday evening got to me so badly. Of course I didn't care about his sexuality, after all whatever somebody's orientation is they still have a... _type- _which may not necessarily be me.  
No, I think the main reason for my discomfort was that I'd caused _him _discomfort by getting too close, but for some reason I was inexplicably drawn to him; the way the slowly setting sun cast a golden light on his usually pale flesh, how surprised yet pleased he seemed at my sincerity to stick by him- the certain yet fleeting childish air that suddenly took over him as he realised he might have made a new friend. It was too irresistable to see such a feared and stoic creature drop all pretenses, even for a brief moment. Being a similar person to Sasuke, I think it made me realise the desire I had myself to find a companion I could open up to. Then, without truly thinking, I expressed my thoughts in one small stroke of his soft flesh that managed to expose more of that truly vulnerable soul who wanted to be loved and needed for something other than his power or status. However, he twitched mere seconds after I touched him and I suddenly found myself embarassed- had I just gotten the wrong idea? Had my social ineptitude made Sasuke's expressions seem like something more dramatic than than they truly were?

After Sasuke smirked and used my previous dig of looking gay against me, I could not help but realise how my actions must have seemed. I started to panic in case I'd made him uncomfortable, so when he said he might get the wrong idea I could not help but get annoyed because it had been _the _first time I'd expressed my emotions in a physical manner- I felt foolish, like I hadn't been taken seriously. After snapping at him and walking away he became silent. I couldn't speak to him for the rest of the night despite his sincere apology.

For the next day I still felt too embarassed to break the ice because I knew, deep down, that my feelings for him were starting to become _more_ than just friendly. Due to the nature of my mission I still had to keep a close eye on him, although the furthest he tried to venture was to the tree by the pond in the garden. The beautiful sounds of late spring should have made the day tranquil as we sat watching various flowers sway and small birds sing and flutter with the breeze, however I couldn't help but be distracted and wondered what was going through the mysterious Uchiha's brilliant mind. I sighed and started using a stick to make ripples in the pond, sitting with my legs to the side and leaning on my right hand. The same bemused expression he wore when I did this the evening before coloured his features. I couldn't resist smiling shyly to myself.

* * *

Despite my guilt at making the usually anti-social Hyuuga boy feel ashamed, his undeniable cuteness over the next day had me forgetting the previous evening.  
It was bad that he was _clearly_ experiencing inner turmoil due to my reaction to his actions, but I noticed the furtive glances he kept directing at me and it added slight hope to my currently awful situation.

To say I wasn't frightened would be a lie- not for my life, mind you- but for the fear of never belonging anywhere again and being hounded for making choices I _could not_ avoid. I was perfectly confident in my strength and ability to take on enemies, but I was truly dreading my meeting with Naruto in case he had truly eradicated all attachment to me- something I had _always_ taken for granted and abused- but I'd had no choice if I wanted to exact the revenge that was (at the time) necessary for me to move on. However imagining Naruto wasn't on orders to take me down _still_ caused me to fret because the danger to my life on that 'mission' would then be completely unknown. Either way it was something to dread, with pain and hardships whatever the route, and it worried me to think how Neji would ultimately have to make the choice between village and friend. Even after the few short days I'd spent in the older boy's company, I knew I could trust him and that he had an _honourable_ spirit- hence Neji not being made aware of the Hokage's plan.

After a whole day of brooding, the mellow rays of the late-afternoon sun were shimmering upon the Hyuuga's silky, chocolate-brown hair, and as he started fidgeting and making ripples in the water my heart melted slightly at the innocent action and I saw him smile coyly, his pale face masked in areas by strands of his long hair. I reached out and touched the hand he had his weight on and he looked at me, slightly in shock and with the most subtle blush tinting his cheeks.

"You ok, _huffypants_?" I made sure to put on my usual smirk. He raised his eyebrow in a sarcastic sort of manner then laughed softly.  
"Yeah I'm alright. Sorry for my childish behaviour yesterday, I've been beside myself with embarassment." He laughed more genuinely and dropped his stick to reach over and pat me on the shoulder in a manly way that didn't suit him _at all_.  
"I really am sorry, I'm barely used to interacting with anyone on a personal level. It's all so new for me." I smiled at him in return.  
"At least you weren't _forced_ into social interaction by a hyper-active blond." I got up and brushed myself down, an idea suddenly striking me.  
"Is it alright if I take you somewhere?" I asked tentatively.  
"Of course, it's still early. I'll go inform my uncle." I held out a hand to help him up and stumbled slightly, ending up with his head resting on my shoulder as he balanced on his left leg and tried to rotate some circulation back to his right ankle.  
"Gah! I gave myself a dead leg..." he laughed awkwardly then pushed himself off me and hobbled his way into the house.  
I almost gave an uncharacteristic squeal at how clumsy he could be, but settled for chuckling to myself momentarily before he returned, still walking with a slight limp and occasional leg shake.

* * *

My uncle had _attempted_ a carefree look when I told him Sasuke wanted to go for a walk with me and show me something, but I could detect subtle hints of apprehension. I assumed it would be an underlying distrust for the Uchiha/worry for my wellbeing but I assured him I would be fine.

"Just be wary of him, dear nephew..." he remarked as I turned to exit the living room. I nodded in reply before walking-with difficulty- back out of the house. I was starting become more laid-back around Sasuke and didn't mind that I was walking back to him in an ungraceful manner. I was simply feeling relieved that we had no apparent awkwardness eith each other. (_that and I could still smell him on my hair from when I had to lean on him, but I'll keep that one on the hush_)  
He smiled as I approached and put a hand on my shoulder, and we walked out of the Hyuuga estate, feeling at ease with each other as a refreshing, late-Spring breeze tugged softly at our hair and clothes.

We walked together for a good twenty minutes, and I wondered for all that time where he would possibly want to go in Konoha. I thought briefly that he might have wanted to go to Ichiraku for the nostalgic value, then corrected myself, knowing he would only go there with Naruto or his old teammates. There wasn't a great deal of notable areas in Konoha, but it suddenly hit me that we were pretty much heading to the complete _opposite _side of Konoha to where the Hyuuga lived- _The Uchiha residence..._

"Uhh, Sasuke?" I asked after realising his expression had become more solemn than usual the closer we approached our destination.  
"Hm?" was his response and his gaze never shifted from the path ahead.  
"Are you sure you want to go... where we're going?"  
"Definitely. I need to see the place where it all began one last time, and I think you have enough understanding of the word 'lonely' to accompany me."

I made no response and put my arm supportively around him for a moment as the derelict walls made their appearance before us. The contrast of the main streets of Konoha- with it's bustling markets and restaurants- to this area on the outskirts, was astonishing. The Uchiha residence was always more segregated from the town than even the Hyuugas or other distinguished clans, which I'd never thought about until now, but now realised in full as the air felt tangible with the sheer isolation of the place.  
The gates leading to the estate were hanging off their hinges, and I noted Sasuke eyeing the graffiti on the surrounding walls with distaste. I felt surprised that young people would desecrate the site of such an atrocity and bowed my head slightly. I made to move forward but Sasuke seemed to have frozen in place. Without thinking, I took his hand in mine and squeezed in an attempt of reassurance. He looked at me and the hurt was obviously present in his deep onyx orbs, but he smiled weakly and gripped my hand in return, leading me to the place of his nightmares.

The buildings were all derelict, aged and with walls that still had suspiciously dark stains that I tried to avoid thinking about. I was once again inwardly disgusted at the amount of litter that had been discarded in the greenery around the estate.  
As we approached the largest home of the estate, which I could only assume to be Sasuke's old home, the raven-haired boy stopped and stared at a stall building with a faded sign starting to hang off the structure.  
"That's where my aunt used to ask me how school was going, and give me sweets on a morning." his voice cracked slightly, but remained monotonous. I still could not bring myself to say anything to the broken boy before me and only gripped his hand tighter. My heart was beginning to ache with memories of my father's death and my isolation from the main family.

Sasuke moved on toward his old home and I followed without question. The front doors of the house were open and the inside seemed endlessly dark despite the sunny weather. The silence was almost stifling, and I felt as if we were disturbing a long-dormant presence as our footsteps echoed dully on the floorboards beyond the threshold. It was disturbing that other than the thick dust coating everything there was almost no sign of the tragedy that had occured. There was still furniture and wall decorations that were admittedly moth-eaten, but still served as a reminder that a family once resided there. We ventured to the kitchen and I noticed the empty plates still set out on the table, almost hidden by dust. On the floor by the table were the smashed remnants of a plate or bowl.  
Sasuke had a seemingly emotionless expression now as he led me away from the main living area and out into a garden surrounded by the perimeter of the house. It was overgrown but I could still see a small pond partially masked by the tall grass. He led me back indoors and he looked in each door as we made our way along the hallway- they had all been left open. We paused at a room where I could vaguely see faded chalk lines in the shape of two figures on the floor. I gasped with the horrible realisation of what this place was, and Sasuke quickly closed that door and quite roughly pulled me away, his head was bowed slightly now as we reached the room he had been searching for.

It was clear that it was a bedroom,as there was not much except a bed, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers. Sasuke finally released my hand and sat in the middle of the floor, facing away from me and towards the window. Outside was a serene view of some trees and the sky. The atmosphere in the air felt so heavy it was almost tangible, and despite the sounds of birds outside, being in this building seemed to suck the life out of me.

"W-was this your bedroom, Sasuke?" I managed to ask awkwardly. The only reply I got for several moments was a sigh, then the Uchiha turned his head slightly towards me.  
"No Neji, it was my brother's."  
I sat next to Sasuke and looked outside, paying no heed to the mess my clothes would be in from the dust.

"Did... Did you get your revenge?" I wasn't sure why I had the nerve to ask that, but Sasuke looked at me then with such a serious and heavy expression that I decided to remain silent until he decided to talk.  
A few moments passed in suspense.  
"I killed Itachi... But it wasn't revenge." I could tell my eyes had widened noticably in shock. It _wasn't_ revenge? Sasuke smiled weakly at my reaction.  
"I will tell you the truth Neji, because I feel like you can be trusted. But if you care about this village it is crucial that you don't tell _anybody._" I could do nothing but nod in response. I had no idea what to expect, but I felt slight pride that trust had been placed in me.

"I swear that nobody will hear it, unless by your leave." Sasuke put his hand to his forehead as if deep in thought.  
"I'll start near the beginning. Before Konohagakure was founded, the founders were two opposing clans- the Uchiha and the Senju. Across other countries those two clans were seen as the most powerful, so they were always hired against each other as tools of war. Eventually, the Senju became sick of the fighting and approached the Uchiha with a peace treaty. The two clans united and formed Konohagakure under a Senju- the first Hokage. One Uchiha Madara- former leader of the clan- disagreed, and tried to convince the Uchiha that they were becoming subservient, but he was seen as a warmonger and was rejected by the clan. After the former leader betrayed the village and the second Hokage came into power, the Uchiha were given a place of power as the Police force- this was a sign of trust from the Senju leaders. However, some of the Uchiha began to realise that this was the Senju way of trying to supress the power of our clan, but it was too late for them to try and revolt."  
I knew most of this information, and wanted to tell Sasuke, but kept quiet before he continued;

"After the Nine-tails attacked our village the leaders suspected an Uchiha was behind all the destruction and the clan was segregated from the rest of the village," he gestured at the space around him, "the Uchiha decided that this was confirmation of Madara's previous warnings about not being trusted and having their power restricted, so they started to plan a rebellion." Sasuke exhaled deeply, his voice was starting to become shaky so I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  
"My big brother, who was at that point part of ANBU, wanted to avoid the village being thrown into war as he had seen so much death as a child. He gave Konoha information about the clan's schemes, and was ordered to spy on the Uchiha. The Hokage attempted to negotiate with the Uchiha, but was failing, so his advisors-" the raven-haired boy started to sob slightly and I could do nothing but stare "Th- they ordered Itachi to slaughter the whole clan!"

I was speechless. It sounded similar to the reason behind my father's death- but on a huge scale. I felt sick and could feel the colour draining out of my cheeks. Tears were freely falling from Sasuke's eyes and I moved to kneel by him, and he rested his head on my chest as I put a shaking arm around his shoulders.  
"Itachi loved this village so much, and hated the violent ways of the Uchiha- but he spared me because he loved me so much. He wanted me to become a fresh start for the clan- a clan that was built on honour. Even when he came into contact with Madara on the night of the massacre Itachi stopped him from attacking Konoha by allowing him to exact revenge on the clan that rejected him." Sasuke was trembling now, and I could think of nothing to say so I held him tighter.  
"My big brother always looked out for me- he traded his honour for disgrace and my love for hatred- all for me and this village... This treacherous village which I decided to return to... For Itachi."  
We sat in silence then for an unknown amount of time- silent apart from the occasional sniff of Sasuke- until the first golden glimmers of sunset started to shimmer through the window, bathing the abandoned room of Uchiha Itachi in its warm glow.

* * *

_Wow, sad stuff! And a longer chapter than what I usually write, methinks.  
In a fanfiction about Sasuke, Itachi has to be in it. It would be scandalous if he wasn't! (Has an undying devotion to Itachi...)  
Anyway sorry again for the long wait, hope you enjoy this chapter! It's really just a bonding time for our lovely boys- so required before they get intimate! I know this reaction from Sasuke is different to in the actual manga since he hasn't gone all psycho, but we all know he will have to leave the village again anyway... I just wish so much that he'd respected Itachi's wishes and not become a maniac in the real story!_


	5. Taste in Men

_We sat in silence then for an unknown amount of time- silent apart from the occasional sniff from Sasuke- until the first golden glimmers of sunset started to shimmer through the window, bathing the abandoned room of Uchiha Itachi in its warm glow._

Chapter 5- Taste in Men

Time lost all meaning as I broke down after revealing the secrets of my clan to Neji. It was pathetic, but so comforting to be held with such sincerity, as if I would fall apart if let go. It was the first time somebody had gotten so close to me for many years- probably since I last hugged mother or Itachi.  
It worried me that the older boy beside me truly knew the extent of how broken I was. I knew that I could no longer hide behind my usual façade- not from him. It was a relief however, to know that I had found somebody I could trust enough with my personal issues. As I considered telling the Hyuuga about the 'discussion' I'd overheard the previous morning I noticed the sky dulling.  
I shifted my shoulders slightly as a hint for the brunette to let me stand and he took it, which left me feeling quite lonely after being so close. I got to my feet slowly- my legs had become stiff from sitting cross-legged- and noticed Neji's must have felt the same from kneeling as I helped him up. As we left my old home we took in the derelict surroundings.

"The atmosphere is alot more eerie, now that I know the truth" Neji said in a solemn tone, and I could sense his tension.  
"To me it feels like a plane of existence separate from the real world... The lingering proof of a time I wish had been fantasy."  
With that we made our way out of the silent estate, no longer holding hands (regrettably). As we walked away we took one last glance toward the neglected structures before, _hopefully, _turning our backs on them forever.

The air around us seemed lighter as we made our way to the more populated parts of the village, and I began to feel as if the heavy burden I'd born for so long had lessened. I felt calmed by the sight of the sun settling behind thick clouds, creating a soft glow and lining the horizon with various pinks and purples splashed with gold. Neji, however, didn't seem to appreciate our surroundings nearly a much, and was eyeing the various buildings and scenery with distaste.

"I hope your opinion of the village hasn't changed too much," I said with slight amusement- how ironic for me to say that, considering my 'situation'.  
"What you've told me today... It disgusts me- what you must have been through, that is." He sighed, then to my surprise, laughed. "And I thought I'd had it bad..."  
"Some of the treacherous behaviour in this village has been awful," I admitted, then breathed in the fresh air deeply, "however I can never dislike this beautiful village. The only thing I can't stand is the corruption of the Hokage advisors. There's nothing I wouldn't give to fulfill my brother's dream and rebuild my clan in a peaceful Konoha, but..." I trailed off, knowing that further development wasn't necessary.

Neji nodded in agreement as it was plain to both of us that it could never be. The Uchiha would never live as equals in Konoha, and the Hyuuga would always suffer segregation between the main and branch families. Both would always by supressed and hoarded by the elders like trophies. The solemn vibe returned as we walked through the usually-bustling main street. All the shops were closed up for the night and lights began to appear in the houses and apartments above; like fireflies gathering as the day reached its end.

By the time we approached the Hyuuga estate dusk had almost settled in, and the sky was darkening to rich blues and violets. The newly waning moon was already visible as we neared home (the word sounded good in my mind when sharing it with Neji), and we stopped in our tracks to take in the sight. As I looked at the Hyuuga's pearlescent eyes I realised how much they shone like the moon; and seeing him take so much joy in watching nature shift from day to night I could tell that he was a truly peaceful person. Calm, dignified, yet tormented and fragile inside- he was an image of my older brother. I was almost overwhelmed by the adoration I held towards Neji as the dim light of the moon lit up his already ghostly-white skin and caused an ethereal gleam to appear in those amazing eyes.  
I averted my gaze back to the sky and our surroundings as it hit me how enamoured I had become over the older shinobi. Despite knowing how foolish it would be to let myself get attached to somebody I could potentially be separated from- or forced to fight- I couldn't help but trust in the pureness that seemed to emanate from Neji. I knew sooner or later I would have to test him subtly with the information I'd gained from his oblivious family. I was stirred from my troubling thoughts by a gentle touch to my arm. Neji smiled at me.

"It's getting late Sasuke, let's go inside" I said nothing and followed him toward the entrance of the Hyuuga dwellings.  
When we got in the house we greeted Neji's uncle and he smiled and said hello as usual, nothing suspicious showing outwardly. I however, couldn't help but glare slightly and hope he didn't notice. Neji asked if I wanted something to eat but neither of us were hungry so we retired to his bedroom- it had been an emotional day for me and my stomach didn't feel as if it could handle food after all I'd had to think about. I was looking forward to a shower followed by a long sleep but knew, at the same time, that it would be difficult to settle down with Neji only a few feet away.

* * *

I felt mentally and emotionally drained by the end of the day. Learning the truth of the Uchiha clan dug up my old resentment over what had torn my family apart; and I felt unable to relax until we were far from that place and surrounded by the beautiful sights I'd always known Konoha for.  
The whole day proved to be taxing, so I was relieved that all Sasuke wanted to do was get washed up and go to bed. I didn't hesitate to collapse on my bed as soon as we entered my bedroom.

"You can have a shower before me, if you want" I told Sasuke from under my arm in a muffled tone. He simply grunted in reply and I assumed by the click of my bathroom door that he meant "Yeah, sure". Or something along those lines.  
While waiting for Sasuke I dwelt on the revelation made today, and I couldn't imagine why he'd decided to tell me. Maybe he really did suspect something of Konoha... What I knew for certain was that he truly wished to live with his fellow villagers in peace. As my thoughts wandered I remembered the dream I had on the first night of Sasuke's arrival, and I suddenly realised what he'd been speaking about in the dream... Denying that Itachi had been protecting him all along...  
I had begun to drift off with images of Sasuke's unusual Sharingan designs rotating in my minds eye, rimmed with black flame, when the click of the door woke me abruptly and told me of the Uchiha's return. My face was still covered by my arm.

"Feeling sleepy, sweetheart?" Sasuke's mellow voice was obviously laced with sarcasm, but I was grateful that my blush was already concealed.  
"This is how much you drain my energy," I replied as bluntly as possible.  
"Oh, I could be so much more tiring, believe me."  
Once again I was glad of the arm coverage, and had to give myself a few moments before grabbing my own towel and retreating to the bathroom.  
I felt my troubles slowly slip away as I let the cool water run through my messy hair. after dealing with my masses of hair (always a lengthy task), I washed myself briskly using my favourite almond-scented gel and stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed. I wrapped a soft, cream towel round my waist after drying briefly and was distracted momentarily by my reflection in the full-length mirror on my door.  
'I know Sasuke usually flirts in jest, but...' I turned to get a view of my whole body as I thought, 'damn I'm fine!'  
Feeling quite confident about walking out in just a towel, I grabbed the nearest spare towel that would be used for my hair. 'So he wants to be flirtatious, does he?'  
What can I say, I felt unusually michievous...

I walked out of the bathroom to see Sasuke dressed in more borrowed bedclothes (black and grey, of course) and busying himself with combing his hair.

"I see you've laid claim to more of _my _clothes." I said in an uncharacteristically imposing voice, and gained the exact reaction I desired.  
Sasuke didn't even try to mask his wide-eyed expression as he faced me, registering the sheer lack of clothing. I admittedly loved the boost to my ego, but I was starting to feel too much of a... _draft_. In order to continue with my fun however, I opted for wearing only soft, navy-blue shorts; which I slipped on before removing my towel to avoid _revealing_ anything, so to speak. Sasuke cleared his throat in an adorably awkward fashion.

"Uhh... Sorry, for you know. Staring. You look like you've trained _a lot_."  
A subtle way of saying I looked delicious- just the sort of response I'd expected from him. I merely smiled and sat beside him on my bed, untangling my hair with my fingers before handing him the smaller towel.

"Would you mind drying my hair for me? It can be irritating to dry the back at times." Oh yes, I was laying the charm on thick.  
"Uhh, sure..." the Uchiha sounded nervous as I shifted so my back was facing him. He proceeded to gingerly pat the dripping ends of my hair with the towel before moving up to the my scalp, using his fingers behind the towel to dry the roots. It felt heavenly and I grumbled contentedly at his ministrations. Once he'd decided to stop I leaned back until I was resting on his chest. He held his hands in mid-air as if trying to avoid a flame before I took them in my own and placed them on my chest. Despite my playful teasing I was truly starting to feel the aching desire to be close to Sasuke... I couldn't determine whether it was our similar backgrounds and personalities, or something completely unexplainable. I'd only spent a few days with him but we just _clicked. _

"Sasuke..." I whispered, tilting my head upwards and nuzzling the area of his neck just below his jawline, "do you feel this too?" I placed his right hand over my heart, which was beating at a high pace. I felt him gasp slightly.  
"Neji..." his voice was also hushed as he ran his genlte yet calloused hand up my chest and across my collarbone. "I've been feeling 'this' all day, and I'm _pretty sure _you know it." His other hand shifted to support my jaw slightly and he raised it until I was facing him. My breath was coming out in shorter bursts and he laughed softly.  
"What is it?" I asked, frowning at his sudden change of mood.  
"You're such a fiend, seducing me when I've been so emotional." I sat up in slight panic and turned around to face him.  
"Oh God! I didn't mean to torment you!" The gorgeous Uchiha only laughed more and leaned forward to capture me in a firm embrace.  
"That's a small thanks for holding me earlier. It's the first time in too long that I haven't felt completely alone..." I blushed furiously and could only return the gesture as my brain refused to forge a reply.  
We hugged like that for several long minutes before Sasuke finally got up, much to my dismay, and retrieved a comb. He made a circular motion with his finger and I turned around to face away from him once more as he sat behind me.  
"Your hair is a complete mess." How insolent!  
"Your hair is constantly a mess..." I muttered under my breath, although he obviously heard and replied with a 'pfft' noise.  
"That's what makes it so sexy." I couldn't argue with that, so I kept quiet while he gently combed through the knots, making sure to hold my hair in the right places so it wouldn't pull. I couldn't help wondering if he ever brushed Itachi's hair as a child. Long after my hair was tangle-free Sasuke continued to comb it.

"Neji, can I ask you something?" The Uchiha stopped combing and proceeded to braid my long locks.  
"Go for it."  
"Did you mean it when you said you'd stick by me- if Konoha had a plan to dispose of me, that is."  
I nodded in response. Of course I'd meant it, but I could see why the Uchiha would be apprehensive. To most it would depend how much was at stake... But as a branch family member I had no chance of progressing beyond my set boundaries in that respect. To be honest, I'd long since resigned myself to a normal sort of existence as a high-ranked shinobi, who would possibly join ANBU, then eventually settle down and produce more unfortunate branch-family members to suffer the same confines I had.  
Sasuke was a breath of fresh air blowing away the original, mundane plan and making it unpredictable... And surprises were exactly what I needed in life. I turned so I was facing the insecure Uchiha once more, and held his onyx gaze in my bright one.

"Sasuke, I've learned so much from you, and have even realised what I want from life-" I turned my head slightly downwards in embarassment, realising the various ways that statement could have been taken. "I- I would go with you, wherever life chased you." Sasuke smiled so genuinely that I could hardly believe it was truly him, yet I could still see he was hiding something important.  
"Thank you Neji, really..." he whispered, then did something that my mind was prepared for, but my heart _certainly_ wasn't. He caressed my cheek tenderly before burying his fingers in my hair... Then he leaned in and kissed me.

* * *

_Oh my, I really want to write more! I know this was a short chapter compared to last, but I just HAD to end it at the kiss :D Plus, since I'm getting into this again, I want to leave it at a lovely moment so I have plenty of nice things to write about when I next have the time to write! (Hopefully the same will apply to Nightfall!)  
Anywho, hope you enjoy this, and I hope the cheekiness + fanservice makes up for the depressing drabble that was Chapter 4._


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